title: Assessing nutritional status in the elderly evaluation of Chumlea equations for weight.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Weight is one of the most important parameters in assessing nutritional status. However, weight can be difficult to measure in elderly people who are unable to stand. Chumlea et al. created two equations to estimate weight in non-ambulatory patients using readily available body measurements.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to analyze the usefulness of Chumlea equations in assessing nutritional status of elderly hospitalized patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured weight, height, arm and calf circumference, subscapular skinfold and knee height of 82 hospitalized elderly patients, all of whom were able to stand. Estimated weight (EW) was obtained by Chumlea equations. Body mass index (BMI) and Mini Nutritional Assessment test (MNA) were calculated using actual weight and EW. Bland-Altmann analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between real and estimated parameters were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a statistically significant ICC between actual weight and EW (r = 0.926), real BMI and estimated BMI (r = 0.910) and real MNA and estimated MNA (r = 0.982) (p < 0.001). Chumlea equations, however, underestimated weight: 54.05 (DS 11.88) vs 61.46 (DS 13.08); BMI: 22.30 (DS 4.61) vs 25.36 (DS 5.17) and MNA: 22.73 (DS 4.43) vs 23.30 (DS 4.33) (P<0.001). In spite of this underestimation, estimated MNA detected 100% of patients malnourished and 96% of those at risk of malnutrition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results obtained by Chumlea equations showed a good ICC with actual body weight and real BMI and MNA, but values were underestimated. These equations can be useful to detect undernourished hospitalized elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. mbarcelot@santpau.cat
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mascaró
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Francia
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*